The Simpsons: sacrilege or satire

AP via Reading (PA) Eagle ^ | 12/8/01 | Richard N. Ostling

[alaskanfan]

My favorite is when Homer gets his DUI. Funny beyond belief.

Does anyone know what the scanner readout is when maggie goes through the scanner at the beginning of every show?

[Timesink]

In my best Comic Book Guy voice, "Worst episode ever." for last night's Simpsons.

The show has one big, BIG problem that keeps it from remaining as fresh as it could be: It's essentially corporate welfare for the Harvard Lampoon Mafia. If you knew the right people and hung out with the right crowd at Hah-vahd, you WILL get a job on the "Simpsons" writing staff. This guarantees a stagnation of people who all think and act alike, hang in the same social circles, etc. It's why the show has been trending downhill for years; these people have said all they have to say, and thus the plots are becoming increasingly stretched and contrived. What they ought to do is keep one or two veterans on as head writers, and then fire everyone else and replace them with people that have no Ivy League connections whatsoever. Fresh outlook = fresh writing.

Addendum:

1) Even with this massive problem, they've managed to keep the show at least tolerable for over ten years now, which is an achievement. I just think it would still be amazing, instead of merely so-so, if they'd do what I suggested above.

2) For all its faults in this area, the absolute "worse. episode. ever." is Citizen Kane compared to the best episode of "Futurama," which is corporate welfare for the Harvard Lampoon Mafia Second String. (And if you've ever actually read a copy of the Harvard Lampoon anytime since, oh, the early 70s, you'll realize that 95% of those "comedy geniuses" are not any better at what they do than you and your buddies were when you got together during study hall in junior high school to tell jokes and make fun of your teachers.) To get an idea of how bad "Futurama" is, note that they gave a writing job to one of Al Gore's daughters.

[riley1992]

For your perusal.

[Belial]

The Simpsons is a nicely packaged tool of the LIEberals.

Actually the Simpsons satirizes everything.

Some people can't take any criticism.

[retrokitten]

The Simpsons is a nicely packaged tool of the LIEberals.

And you base this on what? The episode where Homer fought George Bush?

[Shooter 2.5]

After Homer blew up the church.

Marge: Homer, this is absolutely the worst thing you've done, ever.

Homer: You say that so many times, it's lost all it's meaning.

[Romestamo]

It's actually illegible, but in the 138th Episode Spectacular they claim that it says "NRA4EVR"

[Verginius Rufus]

The priest in the Sanhedrin you are thinking of is Gamaliel. See Acts 5.34-39:

But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men [Peter and the other apostles] be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men...in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

He isn't actually called a priest.

[joebuck]

My favorite Simpsons church scene is the one where Bart switches the church organist's sheet music. During services she starts playing Inna Godda Davida complete with the organ solo. At the end of the song she collapses from exhaustion while all the congregation holds their lighters in the air. You've got to see it to appriciate it. I also love Homer's reponse when asked which religion he is; "You know, the one with all the well meaning rules that no one follows"

[alaskanfan]

In the light of such, I can't think that these writers could be so bad. It would certainly do away with any liberal agenda that might be extrapolated.

[retrokitten]

"Hey Marge, remember when we used to make out to this hymn?"

[Oschisms]

I can't believe noone's mentioned this one:

"Didn't God tell us not to eat that?"
"Hey, you're pretty uptight for a naked chick."
Homer as Adam to Marge as Eve in the Garden of Eden.

[aomagrat]

"That sounds like rock and/or roll."

[BellyBoy]

I hate people who nit-pick (sp?) but i think they hold their candles in the air.

[Teacher317]

No matter what you might think of the Simpsons and their themes concerning religion, you have to hand it to an incredibly successful prime-time show that will present religious topics on a consistent basis. I don't see the Top 20 (Will and Grace, Friends, Ally McBeal, Monday Night Football, Survivor, CSI, Everybody Loves Raymond, West Wing, The Practice, ER, NYPD Blue, 20/20, Inside Schwartz, or Law and Order) approaching THAT third of the 'taboo' topics (sex, politics, and religion) very often!

Those of faith can at least appreciate the subject getting some air time in ANY light!

[irish guard]

I love the one where Homer is bored in church and is singing that Gary Glitter tune, the one they play at basketball games, in his head.....da da da da da da HEY! Doesn't translate well in type, but it is histerical

[steve-b]

Who can forget the unveiling of the Jimmy Carter statue or Marge being propositioned by Bill Clinton.

Or the one where Clinton showed up to expound the "lesson" that if you whine and complain enough, you can get what you want. Marge says, "That's a pretty lousy lesson," to which Clinton replies, "Well, I'm a pretty lousy president."

[NittanyLion]

I've done it with pigs, Marge. No foolin' - pigs!